Abortion
Day 8 after abortion: contraception before the first period
Day 8 · Recovery after abortion
The one-week waiting period ended yesterday. From today the ban on sex set by the clinic is lifted, but another rule takes its place: the condom. This page explains the reason for that rule.
Many women think they cannot get pregnant until they have had their first period. The body, however, does not wait for the calendar; the ovaries start working again before the period comes.
Short answer
Can you get pregnant after an abortion before having a period, and how should I protect myself?
Yes, you can get pregnant after an abortion before the first period comes; according to SoftCare Clinic, ovulation returns about two weeks after the procedure, sometimes earlier. The clinic's rule is this: avoid sex for the first week, then use a condom every time until the first period. The morning-after pill is not recommended until the first period; the pill and the intrauterine device wait for the first period.
Hormones and the first period
Ovulation comes before the first period; that is why contraception does not wait for the period.
Hormone curves on a timeline from the procedure to the first period; the ovulation window is marked before the first period.Can you get pregnant after an abortion without having a period?
You can. A period is the result of an ovulation; so there is always an ovulation before your first period. Our clinic's doctor says this ovulation can return roughly two weeks after the procedure, sometimes even earlier.
Day eight is close to this window. That is why no 'it's still early' safe-period calculation is made.
What is the clinic's contraception rule?
- First week: no sex. This period ended yesterday.
- From day eight until the first period: a condom every time, from start to finish.
- After the first period: a regular method of contraception must be chosen.
- To start the contraceptive pill, you wait for the first period.
- For the intrauterine device you also wait for the first period; during recovery and discharge the device can move out of place or slip.
- For other methods your doctor assesses your situation and makes a personal plan.
Why is the morning-after pill not recommended?
After an abortion, while your body is re-establishing its own cycle, the morning-after pill or other medicines that affect hormones can change the cycle. That is why our clinic's doctor does not recommend the morning-after pill until the first period. Contraception is thought about before sex, not after: the condom is the method for this period.
What should I do if the condom breaks or I have unprotected sex?
Do not take the morning-after pill. Start checking with an early pregnancy (strip) test one week after the sex and repeat the test at intervals until day 20. Even if the second line looks faint or blurry, call the clinic.
One detail matters: after the procedure the pregnancy hormone does not drop straight away and the test can be positive for a while; in the first 15 days the test is misleading. That is why you interpret the result together with your doctor, not on your own.
Do today
- Make sure you have a condom before sex.
- Talk to your doctor now about a regular method for after the first period.
- Tell your doctor about all the medicines you use.
Don't do today
- Do not have unprotected sex because you have not had a period.
- Do not take the morning-after pill; the clinic does not recommend it until the first period.
- Do not rely on withdrawal or the calendar method.
- Do not get into a bath or a pool; this restriction continues.
Special note
If you do not have a regular method of contraception
If you do not want a pregnancy and do not have a regular method, the clinic recommends the condom continuously after the first period as well. If more than one partner is involved, the condom is recommended in every case, even if you use another method.
Special note
If your partner does not want to use a condom
In this period the condom is the clinic's medical rule; it is not a matter of preference. If a condom cannot be used, postponing sex is safer than looking for a solution afterwards. If you find it hard to explain the rule to your partner, you can consult the clinic.
When should you call?
Call 112 first (if you are abroad, that country's emergency number)
- Fainting: If you faint, call 112 first; if you are abroad, call the emergency number of the country you are in.
Call the clinic straight away
- Heavy bleeding: Soaking 2–3 pads within one hour. A total of 2–3 pads over the whole day is normal.
- Fever: A temperature of 38 °C or higher, or fever together with weakness.
- Severe pain: Severe abdominal or back pain that does not ease with painkillers.
- Foul-smelling discharge: Unusual, foul-smelling vaginal discharge.
- Large clot: Passing a clot the size of a golf ball.
Call the clinic
- If the second line in a test you did after unprotected sex is faint or blurry, call the clinic.
- If your bleeding increases noticeably after sex, or you have pain, let the clinic know.
- Dizziness or shivering: Dizziness, chills and shivering that do not pass.
- Hard abdomen: The abdomen becoming hard, or clear tenderness when touched.
- Burning on urination: Burning or stinging when passing urine.
SoftCare Clinic patients can reach the doctor's assistant or a nurse 24 hours a day; when needed, they contact the doctor. Call whenever you are unsure; what your own doctor tells you always comes first.
Frequently asked questions
How many days after an abortion can you have sex?
Under SoftCare Clinic's rule, sex is avoided for at least one week after an abortion. After one week sex is allowed, but a condom is used every time until the first period comes. After the first period you switch to a regular method of contraception. If your doctor gave you a different period, that one applies.
Can you use the morning-after pill after an abortion?
Our clinic's doctor does not recommend the morning-after pill after an abortion until the first period; this pill can change the cycle that is being re-established. If there was unprotected sex, checking with a strip test starts one week after the sex, is repeated at intervals until day 20, and the result is interpreted together with the doctor.
When does ovulation happen after an abortion?
According to SoftCare Clinic, ovulation can return about two weeks after an abortion, earlier in some women; the exact day cannot be known in advance. Because ovulation comes before the first period, pregnancy is possible without having a period. That is why you need to use a condom from the first time you have sex, without waiting for the first period.
Sources
SoftCare Clinic for your questions
Our patients can reach a nurse and the doctor's assistant 24 hours a day.
This page is for general information; it does not replace an examination or your doctor's advice. Every woman recovers differently. The times and rules your doctor gives you always take priority over those on this page.
Medically reviewed by Op. Dr. Şükrü Sanus, Obstetrician & Gynecologist · Last medical review: